Stranger Than Fiction
by Theoretical-Optimist
Summary: The story behind The Tale of the Three Brothers. What happened before they became legends? Written for Round 7 of THC (year three)


House: Gryffindor

Position: HoH

Category: Additional

Prompt: 607-670 words, must be about a character from the Tales of Beedle the Bard

Word Count (excluding header and AN): 640

AN- It's my headcanon that the three brothers developed the Deathly Hallows using their own magical prowess and that their story was further fantasized when it was immortalized in the Tale of the Three Brothers. Like in the story, Antioch created the wand for power. Cadmus created the stone to bring his dead fiance back from the grave. My headcanon is that Ignotus created the cloak because he was some sort of spy/investigator because that the primary reasons to need a cloak would be thieving or observing, and I do not want to believe he was a thief.

* * *

"I have done it," Antioch declared. "My wand is complete!"

Cadmus lifted his weary head and moaned.

The eldest brother snorted. "Would you stop being so melodramatic? I am truly sorry Lucinda died, but that is the risk of childbirth. At least your brat survived."

"Have a little tact, Antioch," Ignotus, the youngest, commanded. "He is grieving. Neither of us has any idea what it is like to lose someone we love so dearly."

"She is not lost," Cadmus declared. He staggered to his feet; he hadn't been truly sober since Lucinda was buried over a fortnight before. "I am going to find her and bring her back to me," he vowed.

"And how do you propose to do that?" sneered Antioch.

"With this." Cadmus held up a rather unremarkable, dark grey river stone.

"A rock?" Antioch laughed cruelly. "Surely you must be jesting."

"I have enchanted this stone so that it will bring my Lucinda back to me. We will be reunited once more and all will be right with the world."

Ignotus looked on, warily. "Cadmus, my dear brother, I know you miss Lucinda. But perhaps you should not be meddling in something as fragile as the line between life and death. Some things ought not be meddled in."

Cadmus ignored his brother and returned to fixating on the stone.

"You are a fine one to talk, sneaking around in that cloak of yours and meddling in people's lives," Antioch said.

Ignotus clutched the fabric to his chest. "This cloak is a tool for my business. I trade in secrets and shadows and I must remain unseen."

"Just as my wand is a tool for my business." Antioch brandished the ornately carved piece of elder. "Fifteen inches with a core of thestral hair. No wand is its equal just as no wizard is mine. No one will ever be able to best me. I shall be the greatest duelist this world has ever known. People will flock for miles around to bask in my power and greatness."

"Power and greatness. Secrets and shadows. They mean nothing without love," Cadmus added, woefully.

"If we all succeed in our endeavours, we will be the most powerful brothers to ever walk the Earth. You both scoff at my quest for prestige, but once word gets out that we've created these magical objects we will all become legends." Antioch puffed out his chest.

"I have no desire to become a legend. I just want to live a simple life, work hard, and provide for my family," Ignotus said.

"Fame means nothing if it settles upon an empty heart."

"With our abilities and artifacts combined, we will be unstoppable. Not even death will be able to defeat us," Antioch promised.

Cadmus raised is head to look his brother in the eye for the first time. "I will not ever have to bear losing Lucinda again?"

"No!" Antioch claimed.

"How dare you say that," Ignotus scolded. "You have no way of knowing whether that is true or not."

Antioch boasted, "It will be true if we make it so. We can be the most powerful wizards ever. Our story will become legend. Trust me brothers."

Cadmus spun the stone over in his hand. "Come back to me Lucinda. Come back," he pleaded, desperately.

"You go too far this time, Antioch," Ignotus said as he threw his cloak over his shoulders, disappearing from sight.

"I will take my leave as well," Antioch said.

Cadmus mumbled something in return but remained entranced by the stone he turned over in his palm.

Despite the fact that no one was listening, Antioch said, "I must travel to a distant village and face a wizard who once doubted my greatness." He gripped the Elder wand tightly. "He will feel my power now. Mark my words, our story begins tonight!"


End file.
